Owen Nuggests (2nd installment)
Preaching is one means which God has given to produce spiritual-mindedness (15).
Preaching fees the soul with God’s Word and so the inward spiritual principle of life and grace is maintained and strengthened.
Preaching also arouses the soul to exercise the spiritual grace of faith, love, trust, and reverence in and for the doctrines of the gospel (16).
Prayer is another means which God has given to produce spiritual-mindedness (17).
The first evidence that spiritual thoughts and desires arise from grace is that the soul finds a sweet, spiritual satisfaction in them (25).
The real reason why believers enjoy praying is because through prayer they draw near to God (26).
He who prays as he ought will make every effort to live as he ought (28).
However earnestly and frequently a man prays, if he does nothing to help his poor neighbor, then we may well question the value of his prayers (30).
From Spiritual-Mindedness; by John Owen; Abridged and made easy to ready by R. J. K. Law; Banner of Truth Trust, Puritan Paperbacks, Edinburgh 2009